New York Pedestrian Accident Attorney

What to Do If You Were Injured in a Pedestrian Accident in NYC

While the streets of New York are filled with pedestrians every day, drivers still frequently fail to take appropriate action to prevent serious accidents. Sometimes, motorists are too busy texting to see a pedestrian in the crosswalk. Other times, they are driving under the influence of alcohol and swerve onto a sidewalk. In every case, however, pedestrians who are injured by the negligence of others have the right to seek financial compensation for their losses.

If you were injured in a pedestrian accident in New York City or anywhere in the state of New York, it is critical that you seek medical attention. Next, reach out to an experienced attorney, like New York pedestrian accident attorney Jason Paris. Although you may be entitled to financial compensation for your injuries and other losses, actually recovering the full compensation you are entitled to receive can be extremely difficult without the help of a skilled lawyer.

Call (888) 365-4940 today or contact The Paris Law Group, PC online for a free, no-obligation consultation. We offer services in English, Spanish, and Russian.

Liability in Pedestrian Accident Claims

Many people have heard the refrain, “the pedestrian always has the right-of-way.” While this is not technically true—pedestrians are required to follow all applicable laws, including yielding the right-of-way to motorists in some circumstances—motorists are required to take reasonable actions to prevent pedestrian accidents. Because pedestrians are at such a high risk of being catastrophically injured or killed when they are hit by large, heavy motor vehicles, both pedestrians and motorists should utilize all possible precautions to avoid a collision. This includes motorists stopping in time to avoid hitting a pedestrian when possible, even when that pedestrian does not have the right-of-way.

That being said, if a pedestrian is negligent, he or she can be found partially or even fully at fault for an accident. This is important, as a pedestrian’s degree of liability will play a role in his or her recovery.

Under New York’s pure comparative negligence rule, you are permitted to seek financial compensation when you are partially at fault for an accident. You do not need to prove that the other person was more at fault or that you were less than 50% to blame, as is the case in states that follow a modified comparative negligence rule. However, your total recovery will be reduced by whatever percentage of fault you are assigned.

For example, if you were walking in New York City and stepped out from between two parked cars to cross a street where there was no intersection but where there were traffic control signals at either end of the block, this is considered “jaywalking.” Because jaywalking is unlawful in the five boroughs, a jury might decide that you were mostly to blame for the accident. If you were hit by a motorist who was also behaving negligently, such as by texting while driving, the jury might decide that you were 60% at fault for the accident. If this was the case, you could only recover up to 40% of the total amount you would have otherwise been able to receive if you did not share any fault in the accident.

Managing Your Medical Bills

Pedestrian accidents can cause injuries ranging from minor to severe that may require immediate, expensive medical treatment. As if your accident wasn’t already overwhelming enough, you may now have a hefty bill that you can’t afford to pay. Luckily, you have options.

At The Paris Law Group, PC, we can help you manage your medical expenses through:

In some cases, we may be able to recover punitive damages, which are meant to punish individuals/entities when they are especially negligent or act unlawfully.

We Treat Every Client Like Our Only Client

We sincerely appreciate the challenges that are faced by those who are severely injured as a result of another’s negligence. At our firm, there are no big or small cases. We represent people. We approach every case with the same drive and determination to exceed our client’s expectations, regardless of the severity of their injuries.

To speak to an experienced and compassionate pedestrian accident lawyer in New York, call The Paris Law Group, PC at (888) 365-4940 today and request a free consultation.